Mystery Case File Return to Ravenhurst

I’m a longtime fan of the Mystery Case Files. I originally played and viewed the first one the day it was released. I’ve waited for each new addition to the Mystery Case Files family since that time. When you consider that my favorite holiday is Halloween, it’s no surprise that Ravenhearst was my favorite of the series. When I found out that we were going to be going back to Ravenhearst, I was ecstatic.

So what did I think of the Return to Ravenhearst? Well if I examine it based on the graphics, I have to admit that it’s better than ever before. They not only set the mood and scene, they change throughout the game. They are eerie and spooky, making them perfect for this game. There were actually scenes when I jumped and I’m not easy to scare.

The sound is the first thing to really get your attention. It’s perfection and I would love a copy of the soundtrack to play for Halloween next year. The music coupled with the background sounds, footfalls on the porch, the rustle of leaves, all add to an overall sound experience that actually made me want to turn on the lights, lock the doors and keep checking over my shoulder. The music is beautiful and haunting. This is rare but quite welcome in a game.

The game play was the same as always which is great. I hate having to try and figure out how to get around in a game. That wasn’t a problem here. This is a Hidden Object game so there wasn’t much to change by way of interface.

Now the mini games are something that people either love of hate. I happen to love them. In Return to Ravenhearst they are better than ever. They aren’t the sort that require a weird solution. All of them used logic and common sense to solve. They were not easy, but they were a lot of fun and they added to the game, making sense during game play.

The idea behind Return to Ravenhearst is easy to understand. People loved Ravenhearst the first time and would love to go back. The designers were correct.

I do have to admit that I did not play the demo. As soon as the game was released, I bought it. I have played it through and loved every minute of it. This is a game that both adults and children over 10 will all be able to enjoy. I’m rating it at a 5 simply because I can’t rate it any higher.